Temple Coach K.C. Keeler Successfully Retains Key Starters Amidst Transfer Portal Frenzy
Temple University head football coach K.C. Keeler announced that the program did not lose a single starter to the NCAA transfer portal during the recent window, a statistical anomaly in the current era of college football. Keeler, who took over the program in December 2024 after successful tenures at Sam Houston State and Delaware, attributed this retention rate to the locker room’s collective buy-in, stating that the players “saw the vision moving forward” and were comfortable with the program’s direction.
The retention effort was spearheaded by Keeler and General Manager Clayton Barnes, who worked to secure the return of high-value players who were reportedly coveted by Power Four programs with larger revenue-sharing capabilities. Key offensive linemen, including Giakoby Hills and Eric King, signed multi-year agreements to remain at Temple, while fellow starters Grayson Mains and Jackson Pruitt are set to return for their senior seasons. Keeler noted that retaining this core group required significant effort to ensure alignment with the coaching staff’s long-term goals.
While the retention of starters is notable for a Group of Five (G5) program, the claim comes with necessary context regarding roster definitions. The metric of retaining “all starters” specifically applies to the offensive and defensive units that started the final game of the 2025 season, rather than every player who started a game throughout the year. Furthermore, the roster has not remained entirely static; the Owls face significant turnover due to traditional departures, including graduation and expired eligibility. Specifically, the team must address vacancies on the defensive side where several veteran contributors graduated. Despite these standard roster changes, the absence of portal-driven departures among the starting lineup remains a distinct outlier in the 2026 offseason landscape.
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